Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-05-20


mittee, delivered an address trans
ferring the statue to Gen. Sheridan.
At its conclusion, Gen. Sheridan, in
behalf of the society, transferred the
statue to the President in the follow.
lug words
"MR. PREsIDENT-This statue,
which has been unveiled in your
presence to-day, was erected by the
comrades of Gen. Garfield belonging
to the Army of the Cumberland.
They recognized his merits as SOL
dier and they wished to pay some tes,
timony to that merit and to his worth
as man. / have the honor, sir, on
behalf of the Society of the Army OF
the Cumberland to ask you, as the
representative of the American peo.
pie, to accept the statue from their
hands as it was given to me-"
ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT.
The President, who arose as Gen.
Sheridan began speaking, then began
his address, accepting the statue as a
gift to the Nation. He said:-
FELLOW CITIzENs-In performance
of the duty assigned to me on this oc-
casion, | hereby accept, ON behalf of
the people of the United States, this
complete and beautiful statue Amid
the interchange of fraternal greetings
between the survivors of the Army
of the Cum berland and their former
foes upon the battle field, and while
the Union General and the peoples
President awaited burial, the common
grief of the magnanimous survivors
and mourning citizens found express
ion in the determination to erect this
tribute to American greatness; and
thus to-day in its symmetry and
beauty presents sign Of animosities
forgotten, an emblem of a brother
hood redeemed, and a token of Ma
tion restored.
Monuments and statues multiply
throughout the land, fttingly illus
trative of the love and affection of our
grateful people, and commemorating
brave and patriotic sacrifices in war,
fame in peaceful pursuits, or honor in
public station. But from this day
forth there shall stand at our seat of
government this statue of a distin-
guished citizen, who in his life and
services combined all these things
and more which challenge admiration
in American character-loving ten
derness in every domestic relation,
bravery on the field of battle, fame
and distinction in our halls of legisla-
ton, and the highest honor and dig
nifty in the Chief Magistracy of the
Nation.
SOURCE OF AMERICAN GREATNESS.
This stately efigy shall not fail to
teach every beholder that the source
of American greatness is confined to
no condition, nor dependent alone for
its growth and development upon
favorable surroundings. The genius
of our National life beckons to USE
fulness and honor those in every
sphere, and offers the highest prefer
ment to manly hopes and sturdy
honest effort, chastened and conse-
Grated by patriotic hopes and aspira-
tions. AS long as this statue stands
let it be proudly remembered that to
every American citizen the way is
open to fame and station, until he
"Moving up from high to higher,
Becomes on fortunes crowning slope
The pillar of peoples hope,
The center of a worlds DESIRE"
Nor can we forget that it also
teaches our people a sad and dis
tressing lesson, and the thoughtful
citizen who views its fair proportions
cannot fail to recall the tragedy of a
death which brought grief and mourn
ing to every household in the land.
But while American citizenship
stands aghast and aArighted that
murder and assassination should lurk
in the midst of o free people and
strike down the head of their Gov
ernment, a fearless search and the
discovery of the origin and hiding
place of these hateful and unnatural
things should be followed by a
solemn resolve to purge forever from
our political methods and from the
operation of our Government the per-
versions and misconceptions which
gave birth to passionate and bloody
thoughts.
If from this hour our admiration
for the bravery and nobility of Ameri-
can manhood, and our faith in the
possibilities and opportunities of
American citizenship be renewed, if
our appreciation of the blessing of a
restored Union and love for our
Government be strengthened, and If
our watchfulness against the dangers
of mad chase after partisan spoils
be quickened, the dedication of this
statue to the people of the United
States will not be in vain.
During the delivery of his address
the President was frequently inter-
rupted by outbursts of applause. He
spoke fuently, in clear voice, which
was audible to most Of the vast crowd
that filled the circle before the stand
When he had concluded the band
played Hail Columbia" and Rev.
F. d. Power. who was the pastor of
Gen. Garfeld's church in this city,
pronounced the benediction. The
troops were then dismissed and the
ceremonies came to an end. Secre-
taries Endicott and Whitney came
during the delivery of the grafton.
Mrs. Villas, who was also delayed,
took the seat beside Mrs. Cleveland,
which had been vacated by the Presi-
dent when he stepped forward to be-
gin his address.
OUTLINE OF THE STATUE.
The statue, which is bronze, is
the design of the sculptor, j. Q.
A. Ward, who also designed the
equestrian statue of Gen. Thomas in
this city. 1t is 10 feet 6 inches in
height and represents Garfield facing
the west in the act of delivering an
address, with his right hand resting
on a column and manuscript held in
his left The pose of the figure is
easy and unconventional Recum-
bent ideal figures at each corner of
the triangular pedestal represent the